Deep East Texas Broadband Access

Dear Community Leaders,

Broadband speed and access is a critical issue everywhere, especially in rural areas like the Deep East Texas/Texas Forest Country region. The current availability of broadband and related technology services in our region is inadequate to connect residents, businesses and community services to enable full participation in today’s digital economy.

An engineering firm is currently conducting a feasibility study for us. They are gathering information from public users such as law enforcement and emergency response agencies, utilities, cities, counties, schools, etc. In addition to that, we need input from local business and industry, and other local organizations.

You can help us by distributing the attached survey form to the following in your community:

Industries (large and small)

Financial institutions

Business (retail and service)

Churches

Non-profit organizations, foundations, etc.

Feel free to print copies of the survey and hand them out, or simply forward this email with the attachment included. Anything you can do to help get this out in your community will be very helpful.

If you have any questions, please let me know, or email them to the email address listed on the survey form (respond@detcog.org).

Thank you for your help. We know our needs are great — our challenge is to be able to document those needs and show support for this project from throughout our region. We need to gather as much information as we can, as soon as we can. I am participating in a meeting in Austin next week to solicit support from the State of Texas.

Sincerely,

Lonnie Hunt, Executive Director
Deep East Texas Council of Governments & Economic Development District (DETCOG)